Molding device for casting machines



May 22, 1934. A, D. LUND 1,959,484

uoLDING DEVICE FCR CASTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR HQTHUQ D LUND ATTORNEY May 22, 1934. A, Dl L UND 1,959,484

MOLDING DEVICE FOR CASTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR m'HL/R D. LUND ATTORNEY May 22, 1934.

A. D. LUND MOLDING DEVICE FOR CASTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 `ATToRNEY atented May 22, i934 IHOLDING DEVICE FOR CASTING MACHINES Arthur D. Lund, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Alcet Electro-Products Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 17, 1930, serial No. 428,886

4 claims. (o1. zii- 177) Losa-ist This invention relates to molding devices for casting machines and the main object is to provide an eicient, practical and highly novel con-r struction of mold or die unit that is particularly 5 adapted for use in grid casting machinery in which battery grids are cast, and which units are so designed that they will permit of relatively high speed production in such machinery, whereby a continuous volume of uniform and substantially perfect grids may be produced at a minimum cost per grid. A further object is to provide an improved type of mold unit that will cast a plurality of satisfactory grids in a single plate, with one operation, after which the plate is trimmed and cut, or punched, so as to provide a number of completed grids from each plate. A further object is to form the grid molds so that the displaced air in the matrix faces will be properly exhausted, thereby permitting a full flow of the molten metal to the various cavities in the dies. A further object is to provide a novel and efficient cooling system for the molds which will not only function to etect a proper cooling and hardening of the grid plates, but will also serve to prevent warping and distorting of the die units proper. A further object is to provide novel means for eiecting a proper discharge of the completed grid plates from the molds. These and still other objects will be more fully set forth and described in detail in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an inside or face elevation of the movable mold, with a fractional portion broken away for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear or back elevation of the stationary mold.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through the two molds, as on the irregular line 4 4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a top or plan view'of the two compleinenting molds, fractional parts of which are shown in section for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the molds, the mani- Iold of one of which is shown partly in section. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail section through one of the dowel pin mold connectors as on the line 7-7 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section through one 8--8 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section of one of thegrid relea and punch machine hole forming devices, two of which are preferably used,

of the kick-out units employed, as on the line this view being taken as on the line 9-9 in Fig. 3.

The present disclosure has some subject-matter in common with that disclosed in my copending applications, Ser. No. 213,575, filed August 17. 1927, for Grid casting machine, issued Feb. 18, 1930, as Patent No. 1,747,552, and with Ser. No.

301,830, filed August 24, 1928, for Grid casting machine, issued June 23, 193'1, as Patent No. 1,811,143 and to that extent the present application is a continuation of said copending applications. It may here also be noted that while the casting mechanism here disclosed may be embodied in any suitable casting machine, it is partcularly designed for use in a machine such as disclosed -in my Patent No. 1,811,143. Before proceeding with the detailed description of the invention it may here also be explained that the terms stationary mold and movable mold have purely relative signicance and are herein employed as a matter of convenience and to simplify the explanations required, as it is obvious that features described in connection with the stationary mold might as well have been incorporated in the movable mold, and vice versa; and, for that matter, both molds might easily be mounted for reciprocating movement, so that neither is stationary, except with relation to the other, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 35

In the various figures of the drawings, A is used generally to designate the fixed or relatively stationary mold, while B designates the movable mold. The mold A is securely mounted upon the machine as by bolts or pins 10 (Fig. 3), and 90 the movable mold, B, is secured to a reciprocating part of the machine, as by dowels or bolts 11 (see Figs. ,1 and 2). The mold blocks A and B proper may be made of any suitable material, but I have found that a specific cast iron after being properly chilled and annealed so as to give it the proper closeness oi' grain and strength, is very eicient and practical.

The adjoining faces o! the molds are provided with the complementing intaglio or matrix surfaces which form the grid, and, as shown ln Fig.

1, each pair of molds is capable of formingv a. platev having four grids, all of which will harden in one unit and be delivered from the molds until separated and trimmed, which is preferably done in a. punching machine. 'Ihe network ol' horlzontal and vertical grooves 12-13 respectively, form what are known as the wires" and ribs of the completed grid, and the surrounding channels form the outer frames of the grids'and also 11g the parts which connect the four grids' in a singleplate unit. The channel portion 14 serves as a down spout between the two halves of the plates, and is in effect a continuation of the opening 15 in the head portion 16, and into which opening the molten metal is-fed from a pump or other suitable sourceo of metal supply. The down spout 14 is provided with a parting strip or wedge member 17 which divides the incoming stream of metal, diverting it laterally through series of tapered perforations 18, so that the relatively fine streams of lead thus formed are shot into and completely ll the interstices of the matrix 12 13 and from thence. pass into the surrounding channels which form the grid frames. Shallow pockets, such as 19, Vserve 'to form the termnal posts of the respective grids. Adjacent the outer channels 20 of the grids the molds are provided with enlarged channels forming risers 21 which aregsubsequently severed from the grids.

One of the mostserious problems or difficulties in connection with the casting of battery grids is to provide means for exuding all the air from the matrix interstices so that the incoming hot metal may completely fill the same and thus complete all the wires and ribs, for unless these grid elements are perfect, or at least whole and unbroken, the gridcannot ordinarily be used and must usually be discarded. My two earlier above mentioned applications, as well as various patents in the prior art, have advanced suggestions of various kinds for effecting the discharge of the air from these interstices. In the main these suggestions have consisted of providing various forms and arrangements of vent holes. In the present instance, however, I do not vent the matrix with` any system of holes or perforatios, but I so form each of the mold units so that the embossed or raised portions of the matrix `surfaces will be slightly raised with respect to the marginal portion 22 of the mold faces. This difference of elevation `of the` respective surfaces is very slight, being approximately three and one-half one thousandths of an inch on each mold unit, with a result that when the two matrix faces are pressed close together there will be a clearance of approximately seven one thousandths of an inch-between the marginal portions of the mold units. This clearance is so slight that it will not permit the escape of any metal from the recesses to which it is confined, but will permit the escape of air from the plate forming pockets or recesses in -the faces of vthe respective molds.

It will thus be seen that as the molten metal is fed into the closely retained moldv units it will be initially separated vinto two streams by the parting strip 17 and each of these streams of metal will then be diverted into a plurality of smaller streams which discharge into the many nterstices of the`molds and also ,il1l inthe recesses forming the marginal .portion of the completed plate, and without any interference or obstruction from the air which the metal seeks to displace. It will be seen that the parting strip 17 is not continuous at its lower end with the marginal portion of the 'mold face but is spaced therefrom, as at 23, so as to permit of a connected portion between the two sides of the grid plate. This connection is supplemented by a corresponding connecting portion which is formed over the upper end vof the parting strip 17.

It may here be noted that the'mold unit i3 .is provided with a pair of dowel pins 24 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 7) which iit into socket members 25 of the mold A, so that when the molds are brought together these pins will insure a proper alignment and a proper face contact between the adjoining faces of the two molds.

After the grid plates have been formed and become suitably hardened it is'necessary that they be properly delivered from the mold units, after the molds have been separated, and in the Apresent instance it is found desirable to have the grid plate move away from the stationary mold until the movable mold has reached a predetermined` position, whereupon a kick-out mechanism is provided for the purpose of liberating the plate from the movable mold, whereupon it drops down and is received in any suitable manner, such as by a conveying mechanism, as illustrated in my Patent No 1,811,143, and claimed in .a divisional application Ser. No. 386,556, filed August 17th, 1929. 1t is also desirable to provide the completed grid with suitable apertures whereby it may be correctly centered in a punch press prior to the trimming operation. With these requirements in mind I have provided the movable mold B with a pair of cores 26 which are preferably .positioned adjacent to lug forming pockets 27 projecting from the risers 21. Thesecores 26 have a tight driving fit in the holes drilled for them, and are subject for slight longitudinal adjustment by tapping in either direction. As shown in Fig. 9, a hole 28 is drilled in from the back of the mold block so that a pin may be inserted when it is found necessary to slightly advance the core. In the event that the-coreprojects slightly too far toward the mold A it may be moved back by slightly tapping against its exposed end. This exposed end of the core, as will be seen in Figs. 4 and 9,

`is slightly tapered so that it may be readily re leased from the grid plate at 'the proper time.

In axial alignment with the core 26 is a slightly larger pin 28a, which is normally'spring pressed against the core as by a spring 29 which is compressed between a ilange30 of the pin 28a and a cap 31 secured against the back of the mold A. The flange 30 of the pin 28a s'erves to limit the forward action of the pin as the two molds start to separate. During this limited movement, however, the pin 28a having a larger end surface than the pin 26, will press' against the metal in the pocket 27 and will thus urge the opposite sides of the grid plate away from'the mold A so that it will move in conjunction with the mold B. When the grid plate is then subsequently removed from the mold B, as will presently be described, it

will be seen that the tapered portion of the core 26 will leave the completed grid plates with two holes which may be conveniently used in properly centering the grid plate upon thevpunchng machine which is to cut and trim the cast plate.

Attention is now called to Figs. l, 4, and 8, wherein is illustrated the kick-out units C, the structure and function of which will now be de- At vsuitably distributed pointsthroughout the movable mold B I provide a plurality of these kick-out devices, and.. as indicated in 1. twelve of these devices are employed. The kickout units are all similar in construction, and as one of them is shown in enlarged sectional detail in Fig. 8, attention is called to that view. It will alignment with the hole 32. Two smaller holes 34 are also drilled through the face of the mold, and are disposedat opposite sides with respect to the hole 33. AA pair of small pins 35 have drilling flts in the holes 34, and are normally retained with their exposed ends extending midway into the grid plate margin, as 20, so that the molten metal will completely surround the ends of these pins. The position of thse pins 35, like the core 26, may be adjusted by being tapped in one direction or the other until the proper positions are obtained.

Secured upon the back face of the mold is a cage 36, secured as by screws 37, and having a threaded neck 38 upon which screws a cap 39. A pin is slidably secured in the members 38-39, and extends into the drilled hole 33. The pin 40 is provided with a flange 4l which is held in engagement against the inner end of the neck 38 by a spring 42, and when in this position the extreme inner end face of the pin 40 is exactly flush with the adjacent matrix surface. The kick-out pins 40 do not become operative until the movable mold has separated itself a suitable distance from the stationary mold A, at which time the pin strikes an abutment, or stop member 43, whereupon the continued movement of the mold causes the pin 40 to advance against the grid plate and forcibly remove it from the mold. This action is of course simultaneous in each of the twelve kick-out units.

It will thus be seen that as the grid plate is being formed the molten metal will flow around the slightly exposed ends of the pin 35, with a result that there will be a very decided tendency for the grid plate to adhere tothe movable mold B as the latter pulls away from the stationary mold. This action is also supplemented by the previously described pin 28a under the action of the spring 29. The adhesion caused by the sticking of the metal to the pins 35, however, is not so great but what the release of the grid plate may be had instantaneously and without any damage to the plate under the combined action of the twelve kick-out pins 40 as they simultaneously come in contact with the stop members 43. In order that the kickout pins 40 may operate smoothly and without sticking they are lubricated in any suitable manner, but the purpose of the cap 39 is not necessarily that of providing a lubricant packing between itself and the end of the neck 38. This space is primarily provided for the purpose of containing a soft felt or ber which will wipe the pin 40 and prevent any dust from getting in beyond the cap 39, and thus possibly interfere with the operation of the kick-out mechanism.

In perfecting the cooling system for these molds I have had in mind not only the problem of efficiently and properly hardening the metal of the grid plates, but also to correctly regulate the temperature of the mold blocks themselves, so that the temperature will not be greater at some points than at others, which condition would otherwise have the destructive tendency of warping and distorting the mold blocks. With these problems in mind, the cooling system I have perfected and which is illustrated throughout the drawings, comprises a series of vertical flues in each mold which are connected at their upper and lower ends by suitable manifolds, so that the water or other cooling medium may be circulated to the best possible advantage. The ccoling arrangements for the two molds are identical, and only one of them will be described in detail.

Secured upon the lower face of the mold is a manifold 44 that is preferably held in place, as by bolts 45, and secured upon the upper rear face of the mold is a second manifold 46 preferably held in place, as by bolts 47. Before the manifold 44 is secured the mold block is drilled with a series of flues 48, and the upper ends of these flues communicate with the manifold 46 through short lateral ducts 49, as indicated in Fig. 2. The manifold 44 is provided with a fluid inlet connection 50, but the central portion of this manifold is so cored out that the water discharged from the connection 50 will be restricted to an upward flow through the two central flues 48 only, and from these flues the Water passes into the manifold 46 from which it is permitted to escape down through the six laterally disposed flues 48 which conduct it back into the manifold 44, from which the water is dischargedthrough a suitable connection, such as 51. It is, of course, obvious that the normally hottest section of the mold block is that which initially receives the molten metal, which is of course the passages which extend down at 'either side of the parting strip 17, and as the mold surface adjacent to these passages are subject to the highest temperatures they should properly also be subject to the cooling fluid at a time when its temperature is lowest. In other words, the water introduced into the cooling system initially passes up through the two central flues after which it is distributed by the manifold 46, and passes down through the outer flues in a considerably warmer condition, depending, of course, upon the volume of the cooling fluid which is being circulated. In the operation of the device it will of course be necessary to provide the manifold 44 of the movable mold with some means, such as a flexible tube 52, so that the flow of the cooling medium will not in any way be interrupted by the reciprocating action of the molds.

It is understoodV that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A casting mold having an elongated metal receiving passageway and a matrix face communicating therewith, said mold having a primary cooling flue adjacent to and parallel with the passageway, and a secondary cooling flue adjacent the matrix face and communicating with the primary flue.

2. A casting mold having a central metal in let passage and a fluid conducting conduit for cooling the mold, the portion of the conduit initially introducing the cooling fluid being disposed adjacent to and parallel with said metal inlet passage, where the mold is subjected to the highest temperature, and the remaining portion of the conduit being disposed adiacent to parts of the mold subjected to relatively cooler temperatures.

3. A casting mold having a centrally disposed metal inlet passageway and matrix faces at both sides thereof adapted to receive molten metal therefrom, a plurality of spaced vertical flues extending through the body of the mold and opening to outer surfaces at upper and lower ends there,- of, a pair of manifolds arranged to cover the respective upper and lower ends of the flues so as to circuitously connect the ilues for the circulation of a cooling fluid through the mold, and

means associated with one of the manifolds for causing an initial introduction of the cooling fluid into a flue adjacent the metal inlet passageway, where the mold is subjected to the highest tem- 5 perature, before said fluid reaches the remaining iiues which subsequently cool the mold portions adjacent said matrix faces. i

4. A casting mold comprising a block member having Ia matrix face, horizontally disposed manifolds' secured to the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the mold block, spaced ues extending 

